Sometimes you have too much adventure.

Heck, I'd guess that more pilgrims in dude 4 x 4's such as Ford Explorers get to walk out than bikers do. The difference, though, is when you need to get your Explorer out of someplace piece by piece, the driver usually is OK.

The irony of the GS is that due to its mass and idiotic height, people fail on it when they'd have succeeded on a Honda Rebel or even a Honda 90 step through. This cosmetic height is the killer. Only the most adept riders would have an issue if the GS were 8 or so cm lower and it'd make things so much easier for we who aren't the Lewis' or the Hydes of the world.

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I missed your post, I was typing as you posted.....but well made points It appears we've both come across the same 4x4 types before

I agree experience and training is key. You can take a big bike amazing places with enough skill, balance, finesse and knowing the machine well. But the majority of the time that doesn't seem to happen. Its kinda like taking your brand new 4 wheel drive out with some friends to do some "easy" off-roading...nothing serious honey, I promise. Yeah right next thing you know your stuck with a scratched, dented up truck, getting the bumper pulled off by a friend
You take a big bike off the pavement and its only a matter of time before its going to be in too deep, its just human nature
I say don't tempt fate, keep the "street bike in dirt drag" on the pavement or flat smooth dirt roads, and take the true dirt-oriented machine off into what we all know will end up being the gnarly stuff

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Yeah, because the 250 miles of slab I've got to cover before getting to the fun dirt is an absolute blast on a TW

Leave the dirt bike in street drag in the garage if you're going to travel anywhere, it really isn't made for that.

Awesome read and story - its been interesting to read the various responses. What I find really interesting is the number of naysayers to the GS/A.

I'm very new to the Adventure bike category, but bought it to enjoy travel over interstate, country two-lane and the fire tower roads/ forest roads which are decent to get through...It's just a great do-it-all machine. We all know that. In the hands of somebody who is very competent on the dirt, its more than capable to do some real touring of back woods roads. I've watched plenty of youtube clips of people doing things on a GS and GSA that boggle my mind. They are obviously far more talented than I am and more than I probably ever will be.

All that being said, the majority of the naysayers recommend buying a smaller, lighter bike. So my question comes down to this: Why stop there? What is the point of say a KLR size machine or even BMW F650 size bike....why not just get a dirt bike and trailer it to the trailhead and then go trail riding on a REAL dirt bike.

Aren't the naysayer's missing the point of the GSA? Some of us need to travel 6 hours in one direction just to get to a part of the state that has miles of fireroads. Sometimes we just want to ride our GSA up to the bike shop that's an hour away....because we don't feel like taking the Harley. Sometimes we like to take the wife on the back for a weekend trip on the two-lane blacktop to see the scenery and just enjoy riding a motorcyle. Are we not allowed to do all of these things? Am I just a poser on those trips? Guess I'm confused....or the Sam Adams is talking louder than it should be...

Yes. I think a lot of people apply their type of riding to other people's bikes and experiences. I ride a 650 but there is no doubt in my mind an 1150/1200 would be better suited to some of my riding and a two-stroke 250 would be better suited to some of my riding. Where we fall along the spectrum is our own choice and we use the bike(s) we have to do a wide range of riding styles. If we all had a dozen bikes we'd still end up taking one of them into a situation another would do better, but it's part of the "adventure" in adventure rider.

Yeah, because the 250 miles of slab I've got to cover before getting to the fun dirt is an absolute blast on a TW

Leave the dirt bike in street drag in the garage if you're going to travel anywhere, it really isn't made for that.

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You have to be realistic and compromise abit.....nobodies going to ride a TW 250 miles....c'mon man
But you can ride any of the mid-size dual-sports that distance easy with a few comfort mods, and still not kill yourself when you get to the dirt. Its all about common sense and compromise

Awesome read and story - its been interesting to read the various responses. What I find really interesting is the number of naysayers to the GS/A.

I'm very new to the Adventure bike category, but bought it to enjoy travel over interstate, country two-lane and the fire tower roads/ forest roads which are decent to get through...It's just a great do-it-all machine. We all know that. In the hands of somebody who is very competent on the dirt, its more than capable to do some real touring of back woods roads. I've watched plenty of youtube clips of people doing things on a GS and GSA that boggle my mind. They are obviously far more talented than I am and more than I probably ever will be.

All that being said, the majority of the naysayers recommend buying a smaller, lighter bike. So my question comes down to this: Why stop there? What is the point of say a KLR size machine or even BMW F650 size bike....why not just get a dirt bike and trailer it to the trailhead and then go trail riding on a REAL dirt bike.

Aren't the naysayer's missing the point of the GSA? Some of us need to travel 6 hours in one direction just to get to a part of the state that has miles of fireroads. Sometimes we just want to ride our GSA up to the bike shop that's an hour away....because we don't feel like taking the Harley. Sometimes we like to take the wife on the back for a weekend trip on the two-lane blacktop to see the scenery and just enjoy riding a motorcyle. Are we not allowed to do all of these things? Am I just a poser on those trips? Guess I'm confused....or the Sam Adams is talking louder than it should be...

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Like I said above, its all about compromise and common sense. I think If a person uses the big bikes for their intended purpose, they are great all-rounders. If you want to take them places that a 600+lb street bike should obviously never go, I think it would be wiser to have a mid-size dual-sport for the serious dirt, and the GSA for the street/dirt road duties. One bike can only do so much as an all-rounder....

Awesome read and story - its been interesting to read the various responses. What I find really interesting is the number of naysayers to the GS/A.

I'm very new to the Adventure bike category, but bought it to enjoy travel over interstate, country two-lane and the fire tower roads/ forest roads which are decent to get through...It's just a great do-it-all machine. We all know that. In the hands of somebody who is very competent on the dirt, its more than capable to do some real touring of back woods roads. I've watched plenty of youtube clips of people doing things on a GS and GSA that boggle my mind. They are obviously far more talented than I am and more than I probably ever will be.

All that being said, the majority of the naysayers recommend buying a smaller, lighter bike. So my question comes down to this: Why stop there? What is the point of say a KLR size machine or even BMW F650 size bike....why not just get a dirt bike and trailer it to the trailhead and then go trail riding on a REAL dirt bike.

Aren't the naysayer's missing the point of the GSA? Some of us need to travel 6 hours in one direction just to get to a part of the state that has miles of fireroads. Sometimes we just want to ride our GSA up to the bike shop that's an hour away....because we don't feel like taking the Harley. Sometimes we like to take the wife on the back for a weekend trip on the two-lane blacktop to see the scenery and just enjoy riding a motorcyle. Are we not allowed to do all of these things? Am I just a poser on those trips? Guess I'm confused....or the Sam Adams is talking louder than it should be...

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Being a naysayer and having owned several GS's, I recognize their limitations when matched with my riding skill. I have no interest now or ever in a dirt bike or a trailer or tearing a hole in the scenery in company of quads doing the same which is the role of a dedicated dirt bike.

I understand, however, that for a full exploration of trails which may have a doubtful turn of surface, I need a street legal but light bike thus I ride a BMW G-X which is 320 lbs and comfortable enough I have done 500 mile days feeling just fine afterwards.

Good read and one hell of an adventure. Don't sweat the arm chair quarterbacks on here, most of them rarely leave the slab. You kept your head, made good decisions and got out safely still able to laugh about it. I have pulled a couple of these too and had to walk out and leave a snowmobile and jeep. No worries, get a SPOT and keep riding.

I ride an R1150GS and understand your dilemma completely. The GS is an excellent road bike and a "jack of all trades," but one has to learn their limitations on the bike. I did a similar stunt to yours this summer by trying to ride a jeep trail in the mountains which quickly deteriorated to large rocks and sand. Bounced the front tire off a sand-covered rock and dumped the bike. Not sure a set of TKCs would have been better than the Tourances on the bike for the situation. Picking up 580lbs at 10,000 feet is a little strenuous. I actually had to spin the bike around on the cylinder head to get it facing downhill so I could lift it. Anyway, not having anything to prove, I turned around and went home. I also had water and a bunch of other gear, but no spot or cell coverage (yes, I had my bags attached, if I took that ride again I'd leave them off). It was daylight and there was a camp about 1.5 miles back down the trail.

I used to ride a Honda TL250 up in those mountains, which, other than the small fuel tank, was about the perfect bike for trail riding - but I had to put it in the back of the truck and haul it to the trailhead. The GS does a LOT more but is nowhere near as fun off-road.

I ride an R1150GS and understand your dilemma completely. The GS is an excellent road bike and a "jack of all trades," but one has to learn their limitations on the bike. I did a similar stunt to yours this summer by trying to ride a jeep trail in the mountains which quickly deteriorated to large rocks and sand. Bounced the front tire off a sand-covered rock and dumped the bike. Not sure a set of TKCs would have been better than the Tourances on the bike for the situation. Picking up 580lbs at 10,000 feet is a little strenuous. I actually had to spin the bike around on the cylinder head to get it facing downhill so I could lift it. Anyway, not having anything to prove, I turned around and went home. I also had water and a bunch of other gear, but no spot or cell coverage (yes, I had my bags attached, if I took that ride again I'd leave them off). It was daylight and there was a camp about 1.5 miles back down the trail.

I used to ride a Honda TL250 up in those mountains, which, other than the small fuel tank, was about the perfect bike for trail riding - but I had to put it in the back of the truck and haul it to the trailhead. The GS does a LOT more but is nowhere near as fun off-road.

I actually had to spin the bike around on the cylinder head to get it facing downhill

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I had to spin it around like that a couple of times in the gully, the panniers made it a lot easier.

About those small fuel tanks. Pinon (15 miles away) had a non 24hr station. Cloudcroft (~50 miles away). Had one fuel station. Gas was few and far between. That is one benefit of the GSA. I had refueled near the edge of El Paso, but given it's effiency, it was still largely heavy and full on the forest roads.

Damn bike has twice the range of my truck, upon recovery I made sure to refill in Cloudcroft.

Snarky, I admire your survival attitude. Hopefully your story will inspire others to keep a cool head and try to effect their own survival. You could have just as easily broke down crying or panicked, waiting for help to come to you (which it likely would not have).